Razor blade wrapping machine



March 17, 1942. w. amoszus v RAZOR BLADE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 21, 1939 William Evin-dams Patented 17, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAZOR BLADE WRAPPING MACHINE William Bindszus, Rutherford, N. J. Application November 21, 1939,.Serial No. 305,426

, 7 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in razor blade wrapping machines and has for its object to protect the blade, both during the-wrapping operation and afterwards, against movement within its wrapper to avoid dlilling its cutting edge oredges by contact with the folds thereof.

Another object of my invention is to so simplify the method of wrapping and the motions of the machine as to attain a high wrapping speed, say 300 blades per minute, thus effecting an economy in labor, and reducing the cost of the wrapping operation and consequently the price of the blades.

While it is still customary to wrap thin doubleedged steel blades in moisture-repellent complete lining envelopes (having top, bottom, and side flaps), these in turn being enclosed in paper envelopes bearing printed matter, a plurality of blades so wrapped being then inserted in the usual cardboard box or tuck, and the latter, finally, wrapped in tissue or Cellophane--the use of Cellophane for the outermost wrap has so greatly increased efiiciency in sealing the package of blades, as against rusting by atmospheric moisture, that the described plurality of wrappings originally adopted to protect blades is no longer necessary for that purpose. Such multiple wrappings, moreover, leave the blades free to shift about therein during the wrapping operation and later, during shipment and before sale, with consequent damage to their cutting edges; in fact, the complexity of motions performed by the present machines and the very pains taken to provide multiple protective wrappings thus defeat their intended purpose.

I have found it practicable to dispense, first, with the printed outer paper envelope in its entirety, and, second,-with the side flaps of the usual waxed-paper lining envelope, and to wrap-blades simply and efficiently by disposing them in spaced relation upon a continuous moving paper strip which is then continuously formed into a flat paper tube, to' then fix the blades therein spaced from the folds of the p, wrapped blades.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists of the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described in their preferred embodiment, particularly v .pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view. of my improved razor-blade wrapping machine;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of two rolls in the train for applying adhesive to the wrapping strip;

Fig. 3 is a plan view, showing the blades disposed upon the wrapping strip, the pattern in which adhesive may be applied to the latter, and the method of forming and folding the flaps, as well as of severing the individual blades;

Fig. 4 is an -end view partly broken away of a modified form of glue-box; and,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of two blades disposed upon the wrapping strip and showing a modified pattern of adhesive applied thereto.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, on a reel I0 is wound a ribbon or strip of wrapping material H, which may be the usual waxed or paraflin-coated paper, coated either on both sides or upon the outside only (I have found that uncoated paper next the blades absorbs and retains the protective oil in which the blades are bathed prior to wrapping and thus retards evaporation of the oil). The strip ll proceeds in a horizontal plane, under a guide roll I2, and then upward between a pair of scoring rolls 13, one of which has two annular ridges and the other corresponding annular grooves so disposed as to divide the strip lengthwisely approximately into thirds with two continuous parallel scores, as at It (Fig. 3). The strip H then passes between a pair of rolls it, one of which is equipped with two pairs of transverse knives I6 and the other having formed therein corresponding grooves 51 to receive the knives which out two transverse opposite notches in the strip extending from its edges inward to the score lines It, but-leaving its central portion intact as shown at I8 (Fig. 3). One pair of knives I6 is set opposite the other pair in the periphery of roll l5 carrying the knives, and the diameter of the pair I5 is calculated to notch the strip H as described regularly at points corresponding to the length of two wrapped blades and thereafter to sever the individual 7 placed end to end, as will hereinafter bemore fully explained.

The strip H next passes between a pair of rolls I9 and proceeds in a horizontal plane over a runway 20. The lowermost blade 2| in a stack is positively advanced in timed and spaced relation by a slidable reciprocating pusher 22 to the feeder rolls l9 and upon the upper surface of the strip I I, on which upper surface at each space left between blades a predetermined six-spot pattern of adhesives 23, 24 (Fig. 3) is impressed or printed. The adhesive used may contain wax, or glue, or other known material may be used. To efiect this printing of adhesive I provide a roll 25 driven through a gear wheel 26 by a gear (not shown) on the uppermost feed roll of the pair l9. On its periphery, in properly spaced relation roll 25 has raised portions 21 corresponding to said six-spot pattern of adhesive 23, 24, and a roll 30 having indentations 3| corresponding in disposition to said raised portions 21, is held in spring-pressed contact with a roll 32 mounted within the glue box 33 and, due to. the pressure maintained between these rolls, adhesive picked up by the roll- 32 is continually squeezed back while the indentations 3| alone are filled with adhesive from whence, upon rotation of the rolls, it is picked up by raised portions 21 and printed in timed relation upon the flaps 34 (Fig. 3) of the'moving strip II, as explained, in each space left between successive blades.

' The strip ll bearing the blades 2| now passes A through a stationary spiral folding cam 35 which folds the flaps 34 one over the other, as shown at 36 (Fig. 3, thus bringing the four spots 23 of adhesive adjacent the score lines into contact with the central continuous portion of the strip ll so as to coincide with the four recessed corners of each succeeding pair of adjoining blades, while the two adhesive spots 24 seal the flaps 34. The strip now passes beneath a weighted plate 28, which may be heated, and which presses the scored folds of flaps 34 and insures sticking of the adhesive. The strip next passes between two'- successive pairs of pullingrolls 31', 38. Between feed rolls l3 and pulling rolls 3! the strip II is maintained steady under fixed even tension to prevent displacement of the blades while they lie free thereon and before they are fixed as by the adhesive. It will'be understood that, due to the accuracy of thelrotary motions used in my improved machine, the blades are held by adhesive at their ,four recessed corners without any adhesive getting upon the blades. A transverse knife 33 then severs the individual wrapped .blades, as shown at 40 Fig. 3, and'iust as each wrapped blade 29 is severed it is seized by a pair of rolls 4| driven at slightly increased speed and which therefore tend to tear the severed wrapped blade from the succeeding blade, insuring a positive severance, and deliver it to a stack: or the wrapped blades may be fed directly to a tucking machine for insertion in lots in the usual cardboard box or tuck, and thence for the final wrap, as in Cellophane.

It will be understood that the individual motions of my razor blade wrapping machine are geared together and all operations are synchronized by a chain and sprocket drive.

Referring to Fig. 4, the modified glue box 42 there shown is provided with nipples 43 having ball stoppers 44 held closed by springs 45. In practice, the box 42 may be mounted for rotary motion and synchronized so that in its lowermost position the stoppers 44 striking the strip ll supported upon the runway 20 are forced from their seats and, due to inertia. the desired amount of adhesive is thrown from the nipples 43 upon the strip. Upon withdrawal of the box 42 from the strip the stoppers 44 close under action of their springs 45. It will be understood that six nipples 43 are provided disposed in the bottom of the box 42 so as to conform to the pattern of adhesive spots shown at 23, 24, Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. 5, strip H is here shown printed with a modified pattern of adhesive 44, 41 adapted to seal both the open ends and the flaps of the individual blade wrappers. The particular design of the adhesive pattern 43 for sealing the ends of the individual wrappers is also adapted to effectively hold the'blade therein against movement in any direction; as will be'clear from the figure, To apply adhesive in the pattern shown it is necessary merely to modify the design of raised portions 21 and of corresponding indentations 3| of the rolls 25, 30

- respectively, -to conform them to the design shown at 46, 41.

Briefly stated, the operation of the machine is as follows: A paper strip is fed first to scoring rolls which divide it approximately into thirds with two continuous parallel scores; the strip is next notched laterally from its opposite side edgesinward as far as the score lines, leaving the central third of the strip intact, these notches being made regularly at a point which will correspond to the space to be left between every other blade. The blades are fed by a pusher to feeder rolls, together with the strip, disposed centrally thereof with their cutting edges parallel with but spaced from the scores, and adhesive is applied to the two outer thirds of the strip in a predetermined pattern adjacent the spaces left between the blades. The flaps formed by notching of the outer thirds of the strip are then folded by a stationary spiral folding cam, one over the other, so that the adhesive contacts with the central part of the strip, coinciding with the four recessed or cut-away corners of each two adjoining blades, and. thus fixes the blades within the iiat tubes thus formed as well as seals the flaps. The wrapped blades are then weight-pressed and passed by pulling rolls for severance, one at a time, by a rotary transverse knife.

character described and wherein the strip of wrapping material serves as a conveyor for the .blades, comprising, in combination, means for scoring the strip lengthwisely, means for notching the opposite edges of the strip transversely at regular intervals to form flaps foldable along the scores, means for successively feeding blades together with the strip, means for gumming the flaps, means for folding the flaps one upon the other to envelop the blades, driving rolls coacting with said feeding means to maintain the strip steady under a fixed tension, and means for severing the individual wrapped blades.

2. A razor blade wrapping machine of the character described comprising, in combination, means for continuously scoring the wrapping strip lengthwisely with two scores, means for notching the opposite edges of the strip transversely at regular intervals to form opposite flaps foldable along said scores, means for successively feeding blades together with and upon the upper surface of the strip, means for gum'ming said flaps, means for folding said flaps ne upon the other to envelop the blades, drivin rolls coact-' ing with said feeding means to maintain thestrip taut and free from vibration, means for severing the individual wrapped blades, and a pair of rolls having a surface speed slightly higherthan the speed of said driving rolls for ensuring such severance.

3. A razor blade wrapping machine of the character described comprising, in combination,

I *a pair of rolls for scoring the wrapping strip with mentwithin their wrappers, folding the flaps one two spaced parallel scores, a pair of rolls having transverse knives for notching the opposite edges of the strip to form flaps, a pusher for suceessively advancing the blades, a pairof rolls for feeding the blades and strip, means for gumming the flaps with an adhesive in a pattern calculated to fix theblades against movement within their envelopes when the flaps are sealed, means for folding the flaps along said scores to envelop the'blades, means for ensuring adhesion of said flaps, a pair or driving rolls coacting with said tion *withtheir cutting edgesparallel to saidscores, together with, and centrally .of the strip, gumming both flaps adjacent the spaces between blades and adjacent the edge of one flap in apattem"adapted to flx the'blades against move over the other, pressing the tubes thus formed,

. and severing the individual wrapped blades.

6. Thezmethod ofwrapping razor blades in a continuous moving paper stripwhich consists in scoring the strip with two continuous parallel scores spaced to divlde'the strip-approximately I into thirds, notching the outer thirds of the strip transversely at regular intervals to form opposite iiaps having a length equal to at-least two of the completed wrapped blades placed end to end, successively 1 feeding blades in spaced relation with their-cutting edges parallel to but spaced ieeding rolls to-keep the strip taut, and means a for severing the individual wrapped blades.

4. A machine of the character described for wrappinzflat articles comprising, in combination, a pair of rolls for scoring the wrapping strip, a pair of rolls for notching the oppositeedges of ,said strip transversely to form flaps, means for successively advancing the articles, a'pair of rolls for feeding the articles together with the strip,

a runway to support the strip with the articles thereon, a glue box mounted for rotary motion, means on said box for gumming said flaps in a pattern calculated to retain the articles within their wrappers. a stationary spiral folding cam for folding said flaps upward and inward along said scores one upon the. other to envelop the articleapressing and heatingmeans to ensure adhesion of said flaps, pairs of driving rolls coacting with said f,eeding.rolls to keep the strip taut and steady, and a transverse rotary-knife to sever the individual wrapped articles.

'5. The method at wrappin razor blades in a continuous moving paper stripwhich consists in scoring the strip lengthwisely with two parallel scores located centrally thereof and spaced apart a distance greater than the width 0! a. blade,

notching the strip transversely to form opposite from said scores,tog'ether with, and centrally ofthe strip, gumming both flaps adjacent the spaces between blades and adjacent theedge of one flap with a predetermined pattern of adhesive adaptin spaced relation with their cutting edges parallel to but spaced from said scores, together with and disposed centrally upon the strip, maintaining the strip steady under tension as long as the blades lie free thereon, gumming both flaps adjacent the spacesbetween blades and adjacent the edge oi one flap with an adhesive in a predetermined pattern adapted to coincide with the recessed comers of the blades thereby'to flx the latter against movement within their wrappers, folding the flaps one over the other, pressing the tubes thus formed, and severing the individuai wrapped blades. g

. a WILLIAM BINDBZUS.

flaps, successively feedingblades iii-spaced re'la-' 

